The National Bulk Tanker Association (NBTA) has announced it will support efforts by NSW Roads and Maritime Services (RMS) to take a tighter and more targeted approach to enforcing tanker maintenance.
“The NBTA’s view is that maintenance issues are best dealt with through targeted enforcement,” said NBTA Executive Director, Rob Perkins.
“The ultimate goal is the reduction of accidents and personal injuries. This is a complex issue, with tanker maintenance being one of many factors in the equation.”
According to Mr Perkins, the NBTA supports a recent call by the Australian Trucking Association (ATA) for a more thorough investigation of all heavy vehicle accidents based on the procedures already in place within the rail and air transport industries.
“There is a real lack of hard numbers and the root cause analysis not only of tanker accidents, but all heavy vehicle accidents. We are all flying blind in our ability to understand the true scope of the problem and the impact that strategies, such as stronger a focus on maintenance, might yield,” said Mr Perkins.
The NBTA has announced it will be meeting with RMS NSW to discuss these issues, including how shared data on roll overs, post accident analyses and coronial outcomes could be used to develop more focused and measurable strategies that will help drive down the road toll and serious accident count.
The meeting will also evaluate the role current ‘Chain of Responsibility’ regulations play in the process. “Cost pressures applied by customers onto road transport operators are real and increasing. They are the ‘elephant in the room’ and all participants in the logistics chain need to carefully consider their position.”
The NBTA is also in discussion with the Australian Logistics Council (ALC) over their proposed Code of Practice for tankers, and will work with the ALC to ensure that this delivers safer outcomes for the community.
Rob Perkins added, “The NBTA will continue to work with all parties and advocate the sharing of data on accidents for tankers and all heavy vehicles. With solid numbers in front of all parties, the ability to develop strategies, set targets and measure the effectiveness of these strategies in reducing heavy vehicle accidents will make a big difference.”
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